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Postal Services Act 2000

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Changes to legislation:

Postal Services Act 2000 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 17 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

  1. Introductory Text

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    Part I Introductory

    1. 1. The Postal Services Commission.

    2. 2. The Consumer Council for Postal Services.

    3. 3. Duty of the Commission to ensure provision of a universal postal service.

    4. 4. Provision of a universal postal service: meaning.

    5. 5. Other duties of the Commission in the consumer interest.

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    Part II Licences for Postal Services

    1. Restriction on provision of postal services

      1. 6. Restriction on provision of postal services.

      2. 7. Exceptions from section 6.

      3. 7A.Scope of the universal postal service: meaning

      4. 8. Power to modify section 7 by order.

      5. 9. General power to suspend the restriction.

      6. 10. Emergency power to suspend the restriction.

    2. Licences

      1. 11. Licences: general.

      2. 12. Licences: grant.

      3. 12A.Licences: refusal

      4. 12B.Licences: determination of applications

      5. 13. Licences: conditions and other provisions.

    3. Modification of licences

      1. 14. Modification of licences by agreement.

      2. 15. References to the Competition Commission.

      3. 15A. References under section 15: time limits

      4. 15B. References under section 15: application of Enterprise Act 2002

      5. 16. Reports on references.

      6. 16A. Reports on references under section 15: further provision

      7. 17. Modification following report.

      8. 18. Power of intervention of the Competition Commission.

      9. 19. Procedural requirements in relation to modifications.

      10. 19A. Sections 18 and 19: further provision

      11. 20. Application of competition legislation to references etc.

      12. 21. Modification by order under other enactments.

    4. Enforcement orders

      1. 22. Final orders.

      2. 23. Provisional orders.

      3. 24. Confirmation of provisional orders.

      4. 25. Exceptions from duty to make or confirm enforcement orders.

      5. 26. Enforcement orders: main procedural requirements.

      6. 27. Enforcement orders: further procedural requirements.

      7. 28. Validity of enforcement orders.

      8. 29. Effect of enforcement orders.

    5. Financial penalties

      1. 30. Financial penalties.

      2. 31. Statement of policy in relation to penalties.

      3. 32. Imposition of penalties: main procedural requirements.

      4. 33. Penalties: further procedural requirements.

      5. 34. Time-limits on the imposition of penalties.

      6. 35. Interest and payments by instalment.

      7. 36. Appeals.

      8. 37. Recovery of penalties.

    6. Miscellaneous

      1. 38. Register.

      2. 39. Recovery of costs of the Council etc.

      3. 40. Directors’ remuneration.

      4. 41. Free services for the blind and partially sighted.

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    Part III Other functions of the Commission and the Council

    1. The Commission

      1. 42. Duties in relation to public post offices.

      2. 43. Duties in relation to social and environmental matters.

      3. 44. Review and information.

      4. 45. Annual and other reports: the Commission.

      5. 46. Publication of information and advice: the Commission.

      6. 47. Power of the Commission to require information.

      7. 48. Information powers: enforcement.

      8. 49. Powers of entry and seizure.

      9. 50. Codes of practice.

    2. The Council

      1. 51. Relevant postal issues.

      2. 52. Provision of advice and information to public authorities and licence holders.

      3. 53. Publication of information to users.

      4. 54. Exercise of functions: general.

      5. 55. Annual and other reports: the Council.

      6. 56. Complaints referred to the Council.

      7. 57. Power of the Council to investigate other matters.

      8. 58. Power of the Council to require information.

    3. The Commission and the Council

      1. 59. Provision of information by the Council to the Commission.

      2. 60. Memorandum of understanding.

      3. 61. Forward work programmes.

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    Part IV Reorganisation of the Post Office

    1. Transfer of property etc.

      1. 62. Transfer of property etc. to nominated company.

    2. The Post Office company etc: government holdings

      1. 63. Government holding in the Post Office company and certain subsidiaries.

      2. 64. Government investment in securities of the Post Office company and its subsidiaries.

    3. The Post Office company etc: restrictions on dealings

      1. 65. Restriction on issue of shares to third parties.

      2. 66. Restriction on disposals of shares to third parties.

      3. 67. Approved disposals.

    4. Financial provisions

      1. 68. Loans by the Secretary of State to the Post Office company and its subsidiaries.

      2. 69. Guarantees by the Secretary of State for the Post Office company and its subsidiaries.

      3. 70. Extinguishment of certain liabilities.

      4. 71. Limit on loans and other arrangements with government.

      5. 72. Reserves of the Post Office company and its subsidiaries.

      6. 73. Statutory accounts of the Post Office company.

      7. 74. Further provisions relating to the capital structure of the Post Office company.

    5. Dissolution of the Post Office

      1. 75. Dissolution of the Post Office.

    6. Supplementary provisions

      1. 76. Accounts of the Secretary of State in relation to loans.

      2. 77. Publicity requirements for certain accounts and reports of the Post Office company.

      3. 78. Information requirements on the Post Office company.

      4. 79. Exercise of functions through nominees.

      5. 80. Shadow directors.

      6. 81. Tax.

      7. 82. Interpretation: Part IV.

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    Part V Offences in relation to Postal Services

    1. Offences of interfering with the mail

      1. 83. Interfering with the mail: postal operators.

      2. 84. Interfering with the mail: general.

    2. Prohibition on sending certain articles by post

      1. 85. Prohibition on sending certain articles by post.

    3. Additional protection for universal postal service

      1. 86. Prohibition on affixing advertisements on certain letter boxes etc.

      2. 87. Prohibition on misleading descriptions.

      3. 88. Obstruction of business of universal service providers.

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    Part VI Universal Postal Service: supplementary

    1. Schemes and limitation of liability

      1. 89. Schemes as to terms and conditions for provision of a universal postal service.

      2. 90. Exclusion of liability.

      3. 91. Limited liability for registered inland packets.

      4. 92. Section 91: supplementary.

      5. 93. Power to modify sections 89 to 92.

    2. Supplementary powers for universal postal service

      1. 94. Power to require carriage of mail-bags by ship or aircraft.

      2. 95. Power to acquire land etc.

    3. Articles in transit

      1. 96. Immunity from prosecution.

      2. 97. Harbour charges on mail-bags.

      3. 98. Mail-bags not to be subject to control by harbour authorities.

    4. Common carriers

      1. 99. Common carriers.

    5. Certain exemptions from postage etc.

      1. 100. Certain exemptions from postage etc.

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    Part VII Miscellaneous and supplementary

    1. Supplementary powers of the Secretary of State

      1. 101. Directions in interests of national security etc.

      2. 102. Power to ensure compliance with the Postal Services Directive.

      3. 103. Subsidy for public post offices.

    2. Inviolability of mails etc.

      1. 104. Inviolability of mails.

      2. 105. Application of customs and excise enactments to certain postal packets.

      3. 106. Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.

      4. 107. Conditions of transit of postal packets.

    3. Evidential provisions

      1. 108. Evidence of amount of postage etc.

      2. 109. Evidence of thing being a postal packet.

      3. 110. Certificates in relation to universal postal service letter boxes.

    4. Postal and money orders

      1. 111. Exclusion of liability in relation to postal and money orders.

      2. 112. Schemes in relation to postal and money orders.

      3. 113. Recoupment of losses on wrongly paid money orders.

      4. 114. Special arrangements with other countries or territories.

    5. Other

      1. 115. Extension of existing powers relating to the Post Office.

      2. 116. The Postcode Address File.

      3. 117. Records of the former Postmaster General’s department.

      4. 118. Supplementary provisions relating to the Council.

      5. 119. General restrictions on disclosure of information.

    6. General

      1. 120. Offences by bodies corporate.

      2. 121. Service of documents.

      3. 122. Orders and regulations.

      4. 123. Directions.

      5. 124. General financial provision.

      6. 125. Interpretation.

      7. 126. Index of defined expressions.

      8. 127. General amendments and repeals.

      9. 128. Modifications of local enactments etc.

      10. 129. Transitional provisions etc.

    7. Final

      1. 130. Commencement.

      2. 131. Short title and extent.

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